More than 5% of the world's population has disabling hearing loss

See worldwide hearing loss by age group and country

This 2023 data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation shows the estimated number of people with complete hearing loss in different age groups per 100,000 people in the population. Individuals aged 70 or older make up the largest group with this type of hearing deficit.

Mapping hearing loss in the US

Nearly 10% of Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss, measured as the inability to hear sounds lower than 25 decibels. The incidence of hearing loss increases with age and is typically higher among men. Recent analysis produced a puzzling observation researchers can't quite explain: There's a larger incidence of hearing loss among rural populations than in urban centers. Explore the data with this map and explainer.

China reports the highest prevalence of hearing loss and South Africa reports the lowest

This conclusion comes from research published in 2025 that analyzed self-reported hearing loss and hearing aid use from long-term studies that covered 28 countries. Its findings included that the countries with the greatest prevalence of hearing loss (China, South Korea, Mexico, and Brazil) also had the lowest levels of hearing aid use.

See this graphic describing what different decibel levels mean for hearing loss

From the sound of a ticking watch, which is roughly 20 decibels, to the sound of a gunshot at 140 decibels, the Hearing Health Foundation breaks down the decibels of daily sounds in this chart, noting that sounds louder than 70 decibels are considered harmful.

One decibel of hearing loss increases tinnitus risk by 6% for older people

That's according to an analysis of more than 18,000 people published in BMC Medicine in 2023. The tinnitus risk is not just limited to older people: The research also concluded that one decibel of hearing loss increases the risk of developing tinnitus among young adults by 3 percent.

More than 90% of American deaf children are born to hearing parents

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders have collated top statistics about hearing loss in the US including differences by age, racial groups, and other factors.

Hearing loss can affect balance and make falls more likely

For reasons that are not yet fully understood, hearing loss seems to increase the risk of falls. One explanation is that reduced environmental awareness due to hearing loss may put people at greater risk. Another theory is that the brain has to work harder to process sound with hearing loss and that cognitive load may also boost the chances of falls. One study found that for every 10 decibel increase in hearing loss, there was a 1.4 fold increased odds of falling in the preceding 12 months.

Tinnitus estimates vary, but may occur in 10%-15% of the population

This video discusses the mechanisms underlying tinnitus and explores the knowns and unknowns about the condition. Tinnitus most commonly occurs among those with hearing loss, suggesting that cochlear damage may be a factor.

736,900 cochlear implants had been implanted by 2020 worldwide

In the United States, roughly 118,100 devices had been implanted in adults by that point and 65,000 in children. These estimated figures come from the US Food and Drug Administration, which first approved cochlear implants for adults experiencing hearing loss in the mid-1980s, and collected reports from cochlear implant manufacturers approved for the US market.

Audism is institutionalized discrimination against deaf people

Promoting the idea of hearing-at-all-costs in medical and education settings has created division in the deaf community and influenced decisions about learning sign language.

How hearing protection became cool

In recent years, the WHO shared research findings that over 1 billion teens and young people face risks of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. While earplugs used to hold a reputation for being uncool, this article explores how awareness has led to more people fashioning different types of hearing protection. Explore the growing trend of earplugs at raves, concerts, and other loud events.

An ear doctor with hearing loss seeks to help those with hearing loss enjoy music

Alex Chern, an ear doctor who has hearing loss himself, dreams of restoring the ability to experience "all the richness and the beauty of the sound of music" for patients—not just functional hearing. Hearing aids amplify sound waves and aren't designed to work well with music that may have varied pitch and volume. Chern is studying how hearing loss and engaging with music may affect cognitive decline.

Estimates suggest inactivity contributes to 6% of deaths worldwide

The World Health Organization identifies physical inactivity as the fourth leading modifiable risk factor for global mortality, just behind hypertension, tobacco use, and high blood glucose. Latest estimates are that inactivity contributes to 6% of deaths and significantly increases the burden of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Usher Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, causes progressive hearing and vision loss

People with one of the subtypes of this condition have a genetic mutation that starves cells in the inner ear and the retina of proteins required for detecting sound and light. Gene therapy in animals has seemed like a promising treatment for the condition.

The first neural devices were cochlear implants, designed to treat hearing loss

Neural interfaces connect with our nervous system to restore or enhance abilities, such as hearing or movement. These neuroprostheses have enabled the restoration of mobility, communication, and activities of daily living that might otherwise require a caregiver.

Losing the kids to video games

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More than 200,000 people are diagnosed with leprosy annually

The disease still occurs in more than 120 countries. Brazil, India, and Indonesia continue to report more than 10,000 new cases annually.

More than 5 million Americans have more than one autoimmune disease

Overall, about 4.6% of the US population—15 million people—have an autoimmune condition. Some common examples include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, Grave's disease, and autoimmune thyroiditis.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

1 in 4 people around the world don't have access to clean water

Poor water sanitation puts people at risk of acquiring this diarrheal infection. Cholera infections are on the rise due to extreme weather events and conflict. In recent years there have been cholera outbreaks in locations that hadn't seen the disease in many years, including Haiti.

Hurricanes may kill 300 times more people than officially reported

A recent study suggests that, since 1930, more than 3.5 million people have died due to hurricanes. This incorporates the long-term effects of storms on people's health and economic well-being, contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year.

Most of the world’s population has difficulty processing lactose—but that’s not an allergy

Lactose intolerance is a digestive condition that occurs when the small intestine has difficulty breaking down lactose, a sugar found in products like milk or cheese, leading to symptoms such as diarrhea or bloating. Almost 70% of the world’s population may have lactose processing issues, particularly in Asia and Africa. This is different from a condition called cow's milk protein allergy—an immune system disorder that can cause hives and anaphylaxis.

There have been five mass extinction events in Earth’s history

Each extinction event has resulted in the loss of at least 70% of Earth’s species at the time of the event, often due to significant changes in global temperatures. The most recent event occurred 66 million years ago and wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs.

The WEF’s Edison Alliance connected more than 1 billion people to digital services

By 2024, the World Economic Forum-backed Edison Alliance had delivered digital connectivity and access to financial, healthcare, and education services to more than 1 billion people, using public-private partnerships across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the US.

The 3.5% rule – how 3.5% of the population can drive change in the world

Nonviolent protests are twice as likely to succeed as armed conflicts – and those engaging a threshold of 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change.

The world's wealthiest 10% are responsible for 48% of greenhouse gas emissions

An analysis by the International Energy Agency found that in 2021, the top 1% of emitters each produced over 50 metric tons of carbon dioxide, over 1,000 times the amount produced by those in the bottom 1%. The average energy-related carbon footprint, including household heating and electricity use, was about 4.7 metric tons per person.

A pickleball's loud 'pop' sound can reach 120 decibels, which is equivalent to a hammer hitting a nail

Fish populations in the Great Barrier Reef have increased after installing waterproof speakers on the ocean floor that played recordings of sounds from healthy coral reefs.

11 people died from firework injuries in the US in 2024.

About 12.5% of US adults experience a phobia in their lifetime, a diagnosis that hinges on the intense fear interfering with daily life and persisting for at least six months.

Roughly 43 million US borrowers owe roughly $1.7T in student debt, the second-largest source of consumer debt behind mortgages.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

Electrical grids worldwide must double their power delivery capacity by 2050 to meet surging demand from AI and electric vehicles.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

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This real-time tracking of the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak in May 2026 offers a unique glimpse into the global reach of the outbreak and whether the virus sickened passengers and their communities around the world.

Between 10 million and 50 million people in the US develop rashes from poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak each year.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in terms of casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

The boiling temperature of water decreases with increasing elevation because the molecules need less energy to overcome the lower atmospheric pressure associated with thinner air.

The first steps to rebuilding your credit score include getting to know exactly what's on your credit report and figuring out how far you are from the '700 club,' or 'good score' range.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

After NASA's Voyager 1 captured Earth as a single pixel as it left the solar system in 1990, astronomer Carl Sagan used the image to reflect on humanity's fragility and the responsibility to protect 'the only world we've ever known.'

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For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.